Running Hot at 500 W in SSB

Tom Worthington

At Field Day, where we are limited to 500 W, I noticed that my PGXL was running quite warm in SSB mode. Even with the fans in B mode, the temperature was creeping above 50 C during pileups. This was not an issue in CW because the amp changes the voltage and bias to improve the efficiency. Is there a way to do this in SSB mode?

We ran our 2A operation entirely off the battery in my Ford Lightning, using a bit more than 30% of its 131 kWh charge for our Friday morning until Sunday afternoon effort. We had one GFI trip during a particularly heavy rainstorm, and ever since the top line of the Power Genius utility says "PksaCajiqsXH" which I assume is Power Genius in Montenegrin. This did not go away after reinstalling the utility. Perhaps it will resolve after the next firmware release.

73 es Aloha, Tom, NH6Y

Mike-VA3MW

What voltage were you running the amplifier on and what version of the firmware?

And, if the air outside was hotter than your house, the operating temperature may also increase. l

50C isn't unusual and well within spec.

Tom Worthington

Mike,

Thanks for responding. Running 240 Vac, from my Lightning. No voltage sag as you might get from a gas generator. It was not all that hot, for Hawaii at least. Version is 3.8.8

, about 80F since we were on the edge of cliff over the ocean, and it was very windy. Operating in an old concrete block house that remains from the World War II radio station that occupied this site. The amp is new, and I had never run an SSB pile with it. I'll see how it does in the contest this weekend when I can run QRO.

The pictures are, the view to the mainland, the 15m antenna and blockhouse, and the operating position. (This is an epic operating location. The club has used it every year since the early 1950's)

73, Tom, NH6Y

Tom Worthington